Broccoli Salad

This dish is visually appealing and surprisingly delicious! I made it for the first time for some friends at a BBQ.

Ingredients:

• 1 broccoli head
• cherries (or even grapes)
• carrots
• feta cheese
• pine nuts
• red onion
• salami
• apple cider vinegar
• sugar
• mayonnaise
• salt & pepper

Cut up the broccoli head into small florets, put in bowl. cut off the stem and slice into thin slivers (make sure you shave the outer layer of the broccoli stem first, leaves, etc). cut up a few carrots into thin slivers, add to bowl. cut red cherries; cutting around the seed (you should get 3-4 slices out of each cherry). dice up about 1/3 of a red onion. Add about 1 cut of feta cheese. Slice salami into strips and add to bowl.

Dressing:

Add about 2 large spoonfuls of mayonnaise. Then, add about 2-3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Add about 1-2 tbsp of sugar. Mix well, then grind a few pinches of salt and pepper to taste.

(sorry, these measurements may not be exact, you have to add wet ingredients on how they look according to how much dry ingredients you have...hope that makes sense)

Poppy Seed Spinach Salad

This spinach salad recipe is the best I've come by and everyone loves it!

(this recipe is thanks to a girl named Tara)

Poppy Seed Dressing:

• 1c olive oil
• 2/3c apple cider vinegar
• 1tsp salt
• 3/4c sugar
• 2tsp poppy seed

*blend ingredients in blender/hand mixer for about 3 minutes..add poppy seed last and pulse in.

Salad

• 1 bag spinach
• 1/2 red onion
• feta cheese
• 1-2 avacados
• red or yellow grape tomatoes
• carmelized slivered almonds:

add about 1 1/2 c almonds to 1c sugar and roast on pan on med heat on the stove until sugar carmelizes. stir frequently then place on wax paper to cool. one cool, break up and add to salad!

add desired amount of dressing to prepared salad and you will be in heaven :)

Fruit Salad

This fruit salad is super easy and quick..nothing to it!

just gather whatever fruits you like:

in my case, what fruits you had in the fridge at the time..

2 mangos

1 carton strawberries

1 carton blueberries

grapes

2 gala apples, peeled

1/2 can pineapple chunks

1 tbsp honey

1-2 tbsp sugar

1-2 tbsp lime juice

1-2 tbsp pineapple juice

cut all fruit into small pieces (except blueberries) and put in a bowl. add honey, sugar, lime juice and pineapple juice

serve with whip cream or cool whip!

Orzo Pesto Salad

This dish is a wonderful appetizer and/or side dish..great for occassions!

• 1 bag of orzo pasta about 1/2 jar classico pesto sauce/spread (more or less to your liking)
• olive oil
• apple cider vinegar
• red onion, green onion, parsley, cilantro
• feta cheese crumbles
  

chop the onions and fresh herbs, set aside. Cook the bag of orzo pasta with italian seasoning in the water..until al dente. drain and rinse in cold water. add the pesto sauce and mix.. start adding about 1:2 ratio of the olive oil and vinegar (1 being the vinegar and 2 the oil)..start with about a tablespoon and go from there to acheive the consistency and acidity you prefer. add the onions and herbs and mix in feta cheese crumbles

*store in fridge the night before a party and the flavors kick in even more! just make sure you check consistency to see if you need to add any more oil & vinegar.

(again I appologize I don't have exact measurements.. I invented this recipe just last week for Easter and wanted to see if everyone liked it before I wrote it down as a recipe)

Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is delicious..don't be discouraged by some of the ingredients.. this recipe does take some time to prepare, but well worth it! Props to Shelle Clouse for this recipe :)

• 2 bags of color rotini or bow tie pasta (cooked and cooled) add a little olive oil so they don't stick
• 2-3 cups mayo
• 2-3 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 4-6 Tbsp red wine vinegar recipe or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives or more
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup red bell peppers (opt)
• sliced salami
• chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
• 4-6 Tbsp garlic
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Mix ingredients well and enjoy!

let the red wine vinegar recipe sit in an air tight container at room temp for about 2 weeks prior

Red Wine Vinegar recipe:

• basil
• oregano
• rosemary
• thyme
• bay leaves
• garlic
• orange peel
• peppercorn pepper
• Red Wine Vinegar

mix herbs 1:1 with about 2 cups vinegar

Roast Beef Salad, Wheat Pita, Fried Zucchini, & Ranch

Ingredients: Roast Beef salad

• Roast Beef
• Avocado
• Green onion
• Tomato
• Parsley
• Garlic Salt

Tear up roast beef (deli sliced) in pieces, into a bowl. Slice avocado and tomato. Chop green onion (I like to use both green side and white side). Sprinkle parsley and garlic salt to taste, then store in a container in fridge..while you make the pita bread!

Ingredients: Whole Wheat Pita

• 2 (1/4 oz) pkg active dry yeast
• 2 c warm H20
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 tbsp salt
• 5 c wheat flour
• cornmeal

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 c warm H20. Add 1/2 of the honey, let stand for 5 min. Add olive oil, remaining H20 and honey; mix. Stir in wheat flour and salt; knead onto floured surface (I use wheat flour again). Let it rise in a greased bowl for 30 min covered. Flatten a ball about the size of your fist, dip one side with cornmeal, bake on a slightly greased pan @ 475 degrees for 8-10 min. Cut in half and split with a knife to make a pita pocket!

Ingredients: fried zucchini

• Zucchini
• Bread Crumbs
• Eggs
• Oil

Slice Zucchini to desired thickness. Coat in eggs, previously whisked; then coat in bread crumbs, and repeat again. Prepare hot oil in a pan or a deep fryer (I like using a deep fryer). Fry until golden brown (only fry a few at a time). serve with ranch dip!

Ingredients: Ranch Dip

• mayonnaise
• sour cream
• onions
• parsley
• onion powder
• salt
• paprika
• garlic
• pepper

Mix 1 3/4c Mayo and 2c sour cream with herbs (other ingredients) about 1/1.

Ingredients: Ranch dressing

• 15 saltine crackers
• 2c dry minced parsley flakes
• 1/2 c dry minced onion
• 2 tbsp dry dill weed
• 1/4 c onion salt
• 1/4 c garlic salt
• 1/4 c onion powder
• 1/4 c garlic powder

Mix

• 1 tbsp mix
• 1c mayonnaise
• 1c buttermilk

Put crackers in blender on high speed until powder. Add parsley, onions, dill weed and blend. Stir in onion, salt, garlic salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Put in a container and store in fridge to stand (best if you prepare in advance)

I love ranch dressing/dip, both are great..sorry I don't have exact specifications, since I usually just estimate when preparing my recipes.

Sprinkle grated cheese on roast beef salad and stuff into pita pocket. Serve with fried zucchini and ranch dip or dressing...and some juice (which happens to be mango/peach).

Enjoy!